Laundry apparatus



Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

V NTOR I C/a/ ATTOHNEW' (No Model.)

J. HUGHES. LAUNDRY APPARATUS.

Ji L

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HUGHES, OF COOKSBURG, NEW YORK.

LAUNDRY APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,130, dated November 5, 1895. Application filed June 30, 1894. Serial No. 516,183. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Cooksburg, county of Albany, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Laundry Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to improvements in combination clothes bars, ironing boards, and tables; and it consists in producing a novel combination of the indispensable elements of these articles.

The object of my invention is to produce a novel combination article of domestic utility which may be used as a clothes-drier, ironing-board, or table, as may be required, and make the respective parts thereof separable, of simple and inexpensive construction and materials, and capable of easy and rapid manipulation whenever the device is utilized.

The nature and advantages of my invention will be more fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement, the clothes bars and ironingboard being shown in position ready for use. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the clothes-bar mechanism in position upon its standard, the working parts being shown in section. The standard is partially in section in order that the pin which retains the drier upon the standard and the means of fastening the pin to the standard may be clearly understood."

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the head or hub to which the clothes bars are connected and which is so formed as to allow the head to rotate upon the standard. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the bracket, which fits into a longitudinal opening in the upper end of the standard and supports one end of the ironing-board when the latter is in use. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the clamping device, by means of which the rear support for the ironing-board isconnected with the base of the standard. Fig. 6 illustrates the table-top in areversed position. Fig. 7 is adetail view, in plan, of one end of the ironing-board. Fig.

8 is a perspective view of the pin for securing the clothes-bar holder detached.

In the drawings the standard A rests upon a base A, having legs A and centrally apertured to receive the stem A which fits therein. A pin A passes through the stem A flush with the under side of the base A, and binds the standard to the base. The upper end of the standard has a neck A upon which the head B revolves, the shoulder A of the standard forming a seat, which serves as a support for the head.

The head B is provided with two flanges B B and a plurality of radial notches B into which the bars C are loosely fitted. Near the end of each bar a small pin 0 is inserted transversely therein and projects laterally from each side of the bar. A clownwardly-turned lug B integral with the upper flange B of the head B, is so arranged with reference to the pin 0 of each of the bars 0 that when the latter are in a horizontal position and connected with the head B by resting in the notches B they are securely held to the head B, by the pins 0 impinging or wedgin g against theinn'er side of the lugs B and cannot be withdrawn. The upper and lower flanges respectively form seats for the inner end of each bar andmaintain it in a horizontal position. The flanges and notches B are so arranged and constructed that whenever a bar 0 is raised nearly or to a vertical position it can be dropped down through the opening in the lower flange, which is large enough to permit this, until the end of the bar rests upon the base A within a recess A in the said base provided for this purpose. In this manner all of .the bars C can be arranged around the standard A, so that their upper ends will be lower than the top of the standard and entirely out of the way when not in use. The bars can also be entirely removed from the head by withdrawing them in an oblique direction therefrom.

The upper end of the standard A'is provided with a longitudinal opening in its axis, into which a pin D is fitted, the said pin being provided with a collar D, which rests upon the top of the standard. The pin D has an L-shaped groove D in its surface, into which the end E of a small pin E projects when the pin D is in its position in the standard A. This small pin E is secured in the side of the standard A and so arranged with reference to the groove D of the pin D that the latter when inserted into the hole in the standard in which it is fitted and turned partly around is firmly held down against the end of the standard A, and thereby prevents the head B with the clothes-bars thereon from being removed from the standard. The upper surface of the head B is slightly lower than the end of the standard A, there by allowing its free rotation upon the same.

The bracket F is provided with a pin F, having a groove F similar in size, shape, and position to that in the pin D. The table-top G is similarly provided with a pin G, having a groove G of a corresponding character. By this means when the pin D is withdrawn from the standard A either the bracket F or the table-top G can be attached to the standard A, as desired, and the grooves F and G of these respective parts answer the purposes of binding the part applied, as in the case of the pin D.

\Vhen the bracket F is attached to the standard, it serves as a support for one end of the ironing-board H, the opposite end being supported by the T-shaped bracket 1, which is provided with legs I. A connecting foot-bar J is hinged at J to the bracket I at one end and the other end has therein a clamp J 2 and dowel-pins J by means of which it may be attached to the base A of the standard A. The base A has openings in its under surface, into which the dowels fit, and the clamp J 2 is rotatable in the foot-bar J, so as to clamp it to the base A, as shown in Fig. 5. The bar J also has secured thereto a loosely-pivoted brace K, having a hook K at its free end, which engages with a pin 1 in the bracket I, and which gives rigidity to the whole device.

The front end H of the board H has a pin H projecting from each of its side edges, which fit into notches F in lugs F", which are secured to the bracket F.

The manipulation and operation of my invention will now be explained. The parts being all arranged as shown in Fig. 1 and the table-top G being removed the clothes are ironed upon the board 11 and when finished are hung upon the bars C, which can be revolved so as to bring each bar consecutively into a convenient position for the purpose, and when all are filled the clothes can be removed and put away and the operation repeated until the whole ironing work is finished. The board H can then be raised from the bracket F, the bracket I be unhooked, and the foot-bar J released from the base A by unclamping the clamp J 2 therefrom, whereupon the bracket I may be folded up with the foot-bar J and laid away with the board II. The bracket F can then be withdrawn from the standard A and the bars dropped down into the recess A in the base A, so as to be out of the way, and the table-top G substituted for the bracket F, thereby forming a neat and perfect table; or, again, the pin I) can be inserted in the standard A instead of the pin on the table-top, and the clothes-bars used for an indefinite length of time.

It can thus be seen that my improvement provides a table, a clothes-drier, and an ironing-table with a small number of parts, is simple andinexpensive and convenient, complete, and perfect in operation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A combined ironing board and clothes drier, consisting of a standard having a base with legs thereon and a recess therein, a revolving head, bars resting therein, a bracket separately fitted to the standard an d provided with notched lugs, an ironing board having pins fitted in the notches in the lugs of the bracket, a foot bar having a clamp and pins adapted to engage with the base, a bracket provided with legs and having a hinged connection with the foot bar, and a brace pivoted to the foot bar and having a hook connecting with the bracket, substantially as specified.

2. A combined ironing board and clothes drier, comprising a base having a recess in the upper surface thereof, a standard detachably secured to said base within the recess, a head revolubly mounted upon said standard, bars movable therein, a bracket separably fitted to said standard, and provided with notched lugs, an ironing board having pins fitted in the saidlugs, a foot bar having means thereon for engaging the base, and a bracket hinged to the opposite end of the foot-bar to fold upon the same and adapted to receive the ironing board thereon, substantially as specified.

I11 testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of June, 1894:.

JOHN HU GIIES.

\Vitnesses:

CLAUDE H. HEATH, GEORGE R. DE SILVA. 

